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Carolina Panthersí Greg Hardy is now Ďall about the numbersí

Interests:NFL, NBA, College BBall, College Football, Music from the 60's, 70's and 80's

Posted 02 January 2014 - 02:04 PM

The title doesn't sound good but as you read the article, it actually sounds like it might work out as a win/win. Most players don't want the Franchise Tag but Hardy actually makes sense in what he says in order to give us a chance to give us another year to pull the money together considering we have to pay Cam his new contract this year.

I think it's logical and it definitely sounds like he wants to stay here and that would be the way to do it. I sure hope I'm right in this case.

The Panthers might have missed the window for their biggest savings on defensive end Greg Hardy’s hometown discount.

Two weeks after saying he would take less money to re-sign with the Panthers, Hardy said Wednesday he’s looking for “a big number” in his next contract.

“It’s all about the numbers with me. I don’t really have an end game to where I want to hustle or play around or play the market,” Hardy said. “I want a big number that I worked for, nothing imaginary. And if you don’t believe me, tell me what you want me to do and I’ll go do it for you. And then give me my number and we’ll be good.”

Since Hardy’s comments two weeks ago, he has recorded seven sacks in two games – including a team-record four Sunday at Atlanta – has been named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season and earned his first Pro Bowl berth.

“The nice thing we have going is he offered to take the hometown discount, so we’ll hold him to it,” Rivera said. “He’s done a great job, and we’ll just have to wait and see once we get to that point in the year.”

Hardy said the discount still stands.

“It’s still discounted. If you take $10 million off $110 million, it’s still $100 million,” he said. “That’s not the case, but you know what I’m saying? It’s a number, it’s not ridiculous.

“But I want to be compensated and I want it to be what I deserve. And I will take a franchise tag if that’s what it takes to get it done.”

Putting the franchise tag on Hardy would seem to make sense for general manager Dave Gettleman, who has restructured the contracts of a number of veterans to get the Panthers about $17 million below the salary cap.

The first priority this offseason will be getting a long-term deal done with quarterback Cam Newton, who has guided Carolina (12-4) into the playoffs in his third season. The Panthers could exercise their club option on Newton for the 2015 season but are expected to try to lock him up.

Hardy, a 2010 sixth-round pick from Mississippi, has been a bargain: He’s making $1.35 million in the final year of his four-year, rookie deal.

Drew Rosenhaus, Hardy’s agent, has been in contract talks with the Panthers since last spring; but with no deal imminent, Rosenhaus likely is willing to let Hardy test free agency – assuming the Panthers don’t use the franchise tag on him.

Hardy said he’s not opposed to getting the franchise tag, a guaranteed one-year deal that many players dislike because of its restrictive nature.

Under the terms of the collective-bargaining agreement, tag numbers are set by a complex formula based on salaries over a five-year period and their percentage of the overall cap in those years.

The tag for defensive ends this season was worth $11.175 million.

Hardy, 25, indicated a franchise tag could be beneficial for him and the team.

“I would love a franchise, man. Add another year on my career,” Hardy said. “Get to play football alittle bit longer without a contract, another year to be in Carolina to give them a chance to get their fiscal responsibilities in order so we can be here forever like Steve (Smith) and a lot of other guys, like Thomas” Davis.

With his big game against the Falcons, Hardy finished the season with 15 sacks, ranking third in the league and tying outside linebacker Kevin Greene’s team record from 1998.

“I haven’t really been thinking about it a lot,” Hardy said of the record. “It’s a cool thing, it’s a cool deal. But it’s a lot more cool to be in the playoffs and not just winning two games.”

Hardy, who had 11 sacks last season, said he’s already thinking about the increased expectations he’ll face in 2014, wherever he is playing.

This is the third article that I've read in which the content is basically the same, yet it is spun by the writer to sound like it says something different than the others. So at this point, I'm not sure what is going on with him as far as this goes. The only thing I do know is that he loves to hear himself talk, and there's no telling if he's just blowing smoke or what his true intentions and mindset are.

Tag him. Tag him and let's see what happens. No way do we get a long-term deal done. Not with our cap situation. Not with Cam needing to be signed long-term. Cam is more important to this team's future.

You could tag Hardy this year and try to work out a deal that pays most or all of the guaranteed money in 2014, 2015, & 2016. Exercise the 5th year option on Cam's rookie contract and then tag him on his FA year in 2016. You can tag Cam again in 2017 but try to work out a contract while under the tag. That gives you 3 years to pay the heavy portion of Hardy's contract and leave the back end light to cover Cam's contract and then Luke's.

or sign Cam long term after the end of the next season after using the 5th year option which gives you an extra season which would mean you wouldn't really have worry about his contract until after 2015 but maybe use the 5th year option if its available on Luke next year because all of of money clears up after 2015 then after the 2015 season work out Luke's deal. So sign Hardy now, sign Cam next year or after the cap part of the year passes next year and then the year after that take care of Luke which by 2016 it be about time to work out Star & Shorts, Aj and them deal by then as well

I really wish Hardy would focus on the playoffs right now. Every article I've seen about him since the Falcons game has been about money. He should know that a bad showing in the playoffs would drive his "market value" down.

Some players want championships, some players want money. I hope the Lombardi means more to Hardy.

That's what I was saying, except you're off by a year on Luke. Next year is Cam's 4th season. The 5th year option for him is 2015. So Luke's 5th year option would be 2016 (picks 11-32 do have a 5th year option as well, just less money guaranteed). So you wouldn't have to work out a new contract on Luke until 2017. Of course, you could tag him in 2017 (if you're not tagging Cam a 2nd time -- which would be highly unlikely).

Obviously if you don't sign any more bloated contracts like Johnson, Williams, and Stewart; then you won't be forced to use the Franchise Tag every year.

I don't think the focus problem is with Hardy, I think it's with the reporters. They're all trying to be spin-doctors and get some scoop (or smut) they can use to create a story where there is none. Leave Kraken alone and he'll stop answering these questions over and over.

That's what I was saying, except you're off by a year on Luke. Next year is Cam's 4th season. The 5th year option for him is 2015. So Luke's 5th year option would be 2016 (picks 11-32 do have a 5th year option as well, just less money guaranteed). So you wouldn't have to work out a new contract on Luke until 2017. Of course, you could tag him in 2017 (if you're not tagging Cam a 2nd time -- which would be highly unlikely).

Obviously if you don't sign any more bloated contracts like Johnson, Williams, and Stewart; then you won't be forced to use the Franchise Tag every year.

I thought I read/heard on tv/radio that after the final regular season game in Cam's 3rd rookie year which is this season the team had a certain amount of time I think until may I could be wrong on the length to do that 5th year or resign him long term.

I thought I read/heard on tv/radio that after the final regular season game in Cam's 3rd rookie year which is this season the team had a certain amount of time I think until may I could be wrong on the length to do that 5th year or resign him long term.

They can start working on Cam's contract after December 29th. And yes, they have to pick up his 5th year option before May 3rd. So then you know you don't have to work out a new contract until after the 2015 season. But even then you can use the Franchise Tag on Cam and have another year to work out a contract. And since you can tag a player twice, you can tag him again in 2017. Of course, that wouldn't happen. It would be more likely if you were that strapped, you'd use the 2017 tag on Luke if you had to. And Luke could be tagged again in 2018.

I don't think the focus problem is with Hardy, I think it's with the reporters. They're all trying to be spin-doctors and get some scoop (or smut) they can use to create a story where there is none. Leave Kraken alone and he'll stop answering these questions over and over.

Yup. It's always like a reporter to try and inflate a problem. The story should be a feel good story. A team that came together and played like a team.....but who wants to hear about that. They want a Dallas debacle or Washington wash out. This crap bothers me.

Why I say we should tag him, is because he's having these monster games and he's had a terrific year, and he's just now entering his prime. He's had a fantastic year numbers-wise, and that's going to drive his price up. I say tag him, because, how much more is his price going to go up? He's already saying he's expecting to get paid what he is worth. Well he's coming off the best season of his career. Tag him, and see what he does next year. He's not going to get more expensive to keep.

Why I say we should tag him, is because he's having these monster games and he's had a terrific year, and he's just now entering his prime. He's had a fantastic year numbers-wise, and that's going to drive his price up. I say tag him, because, how much more is his price going to go up? He's already saying he's expecting to get paid what he is worth. Well he's coming off the best season of his career. Tag him, and see what he does next year. He's not going to get more expensive to keep.